Christmas week road trip from Dunedin Airport to the Otago coast
Late December at Dunedin Airport brings long evening light, a sea breeze off the harbour, and a Christmas week that can serve up sun, wind and drizzle in a single afternoon. Families fly in to visit relatives, while others head for the Otago Peninsula, the Catlins or over the hill to Central Otago. The airport sits out on the Taieri plain, about 30 minutes from the city, so a rental car is how most people get around. For 25 December to 1 January, Dunedin Airport car rental runs from $1,127 to $2,470 across 27 listings.
Ezi has the lowest average at $1,476, with GO Rentals at $1,520 and the single cheapest deal, a $1,127 Mystery Car. Europcar averages $1,716 and Hertz $1,793, so the big names cost more this week. It pays to compare all four, since the gap from cheapest to priciest is about 2.2 times.
Most of the fleet is petrol (17 listings), with 7 hybrids and 3 diesels, and nearly all seat 5, so check your luggage before you book. A Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD at $1,277 suits you if you want room and a bit of grip on Catlins gravel or the road to Queenstown. Summer showers can leave coastal roads slick and Christmas week is busy, so book early and leave extra time at the airport counter on pickup day.